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12/12/01 - "WE'RE NOT HAPPY
BUT JUSTICE HAS BEEN DONE"
By Neil Roberts
The Mirror
Sarah Payne's parents called for changes in the law
to protect other children after Roy Whiting was jailed
for life for killing their eight-year-old daughter.
"We're not happy," said her mother Sara, "but
justice has been done. Sarah can rest in peace."
She went on to thank the policemen involved in the case
and everyone who helped "put this man where he
belongs." The 32-year-old former playgroup careworker
went on to make an empassioned plea to the government:
"Please make sure this stops happening time and
time again. People are being let out of prison when
everybody concerned knows this is going to happen again."
"Why should it be on policemens' shoulders? This
is down to the government." She added the family's
campaign for a change in the law regarding paedophiles
would continue. The Paynes want to see a public register
of convicted paedophiles to help parents protect their
children. "Right now we've got a lot of work to
do," she said. "It doesn't stop here, it just
begins."
Sarah's grandfather, Brian Williams, called on the government
to listen to public opinion on paedophiles, saying:
"He should not be let out. "The public should
be telling the Government no more, this has got to stop.
When is a person is put away for life it should mean
life, there is no choice.
They talk about his human rights but he hasn't got any
human rights. My granddaughter was given no human rights.
"Justice has been done but look what it has taken
for justice to be done. My granddaughter's life has
been taken and my family has been upset and torn up
about it."
Shortly after the family made their statements Home
Office minister Beverley Hughes announced Government
would learn lessons about protecting the public from
Sarah's case. Hughes said moves had already been made
to limit the risk of dangerous paedophiles like Whiting
and that more will be done.
She added: "I want to extend my deepest sympathy
to the parents and family of Sarah Payne. "The
death of a child in such circumstances is an appalling
tragedy, which must be almost impossible to bear.
"Protecting children is the highest priority for
this Government and we have already acted to build on
and improve arrangements for protecting the public from
dangerous offenders. "However, we will be studying
the details of this case very carefully to make sure
that we learn from it ways of improving these arrangements
still further." |
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